The Indian stock market paused on Tuesday, ending the day with slight fluctuations after hitting recent highs. The BSE Sensex closed at 82,555.44, slipping by 4.40 points or 0.01 per cent, while the Nifty 50 edged up by 1.15 points to settle at 25,279.85, showing no significant change.

Trading activity was subdued, with 4,054 stocks traded on the BSE. Advances outnumbered declines, with 2,014 stocks gaining ground compared to 1,926 declining. 114 stocks remained unchanged. The market saw 267 stocks hitting their 52-week highs, while 29 touched their 52-week lows.

Among Sensex stocks, ICICI Bank emerged as the top gainer, rising 1.45 per cent to close at 1247.80. Bajaj Finserv followed with a 1.30 per cent increase, ending at 1863.95. Other notable gainers included Titan (0.85 per cent), Nestle India (0.75 per cent), and HDFC Bank (0.72 per cent).

On the flip side, Infosys led the losers, dropping 1.22 per cent to 1940.20. Bajaj Finance declined 1.13 per cent to 7351.55, while Adani Ports, JSW Steel, and HCL Tech also featured among the top losers, shedding 0.99 per cent, 0.97 per cent, and 0.95 per cent respectively.

Shrikant Chouhan, Head of Equity Research at Kotak Securities, commented on the day’s trading, saying, “Today, the benchmark indices witnessed lackluster activity.

Technically, after a muted opening entire day market hovered between 25235/82400 to 25320/82675. A small candle on daily charts and non-directional activity on intraday charts showing indecisiveness between the bulls and the bears.”

Chouhan added, “For the day traders now, 25350/82900 would be the immediate breakout level. Above the same, the market could rally up to 25450-25500/83300-83500. On the flip side, dismissal of 25200/82300 may trigger intraday correction.”

Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research) at Mehta Equities Ltd, noted, “Markets ended flat in a lacklustre trading session as investors exercised caution on the back of weak Asian and European cues. Also the markets have been hitting new highs in the recent upsurge and hence investors are a bit sceptical about taking further bullish bets.”

In the broader market, SBI Life Insurance Company was the top gainer on the NSE, rising 1.72 per cent. Other notable gainers included Bajaj Finserv (1.40 per cent), ICICI Bank (1.39 per cent), HDFC Life Insurance (1.28 per cent), and Hero MotoCorp (1.24 per cent).

Among the top losers on the NSE were Bajaj Finance (-1.36 per cent), ONGC (-1.33 per cent), Infosys (-1.20 per cent), Adani Ports (-1.08 per cent), and HCLTech (-1.02 per cent).

As the market continues its consolidation phase, investors and traders are advised to maintain a cautious approach and focus on stock-specific opportunities while keeping an eye on global cues and sector rotations.

In the commodities market, gold remained steady at $2,504 per ounce. Rahul Kalantri, VP Commodities at Mehta Equities Ltd, stated, “Gold has support at $2,478-2,461 and resistance at $2,512-2,527.”

Crude oil prices showed volatility, with Kalantri noting, “Crude oil has support at $74.70-74.00 and resistance at $76.00-76.65.”

Vikas Jain, Head of Research at Reliance Securities, highlighted potential sectors to watch, saying, “Large-cap sectors such as pharma, auto, FMCG, and IT are likely to maintain their momentum.”

The market’s performance in the coming days may be influenced by falling oil prices, the government’s ₹40,000 crore investment in rail and agriculture sectors, and strong August sales data for two-wheelers. Investors will also be closely monitoring the US non-farm payrolls report due on Friday, with expectations of 165,000 jobs added in August.